Dependence Day

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"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord."

Jeremiah 17:7

It struck me the other day how utterly dependent Squirrel is on me. If he's hungry, he has to wait for me to provide. If he wants to go outside, he can only nose me and hope I'll understand. If he wants to run another mile but I don't, he has to follow me home. This doesn't give me a sense of power over him but rather extreme responsibility. I want my boy to be healthy and happy, and I want to make sure that I am meeting his needs - and even his wants - well.

This coming Friday, we'll celebrate Independence Day. I LOVE the 4th of July; it's one of my favorite holidays. Coming from a small town, everything is just so dang fun. Cheesy little parades, patriotic decorations (you'd be hard pressed to meet someone who likes seasonal decorating more), burgers on the grill, sparklers, fireworks; I want it all!

Here in America, it sometimes feels to me that we value independence above almost all else. There is no denying that autonomy, in its proper context, can be a very good thing. Personally, I'm not volunteering to go back to British rule and say things like "cheerio." I only use that word when preceded by "honey nut."

As Christ-followers, our primary citizenship is not in America, as much as that idea might chafe some. Our citizenship is with the Kingdom of God. This heavenly kingdom can often feel backward when compared with earthly kingdoms. In it, dependence is one of the greatest virtues. Genesis teaches us that we are made from dust; our very breath comes from God. “Jesus is my copilot” makes for a catchy bumper sticker, but, ultimately, God isn’t looking to be our assistant. He is looking for our total surrender and dependence on him. This is an intimidating thought for those of us who were taught to “pull ourselves up by our boost-straps.” Total faith in a fallible human is dangerous. Total faith in an infallible God is freedom.

Here again we are faced with the backwards thinking of the Kingdom of God: How can complete dependence also be freedom?

Squirrel got his start in life as a street dog. It was total freedom. He never had to sit or stay or ask to go outside and use the bathroom. Zero rules!

He was also all of 18lbs when I got him, with ribs showing and large patches of fur missing.

I limit his freedom, but I also grant him life.

I am a slave of Jesus Christ. But then, we're all slaves to something. And, because of Christ, I have freedom from worry, freedom from fear of death, freedom from the shame and guilt of my sin.

May this 4th of July serve as a reminder to recognize our dependence on God and to thank Him that when we surrender to Him, He will not fail us.